Centre to develop Jain and Sufi tourist circuits

Varanasi: On the lines of Buddha circuit, the government is planning to develop Jain and Sufi tourist circuits in several parts of the country, a Union minister on Saturday said.

“The focus is on to develop the Jain and Sufi tourist circuits after developing Buddha circuit, to attract the foreigners. Its beginning will be from Bihar,” Union minister Subodhkant Sahay said on Friday here at Nadesar.

Sahay was in the city to inaugurate the ‘International Buddhist Conclave’, which kicked-off on Saturday here.

Talking to the reporters, Sahay said that the foreign tourists only know Taj Mahal and Jaipur while there are various ancient places which is yet to be explored.

The places related to Jain and Sufi legendaries will be developed for tourism. In this line, a project is being executed in Karnataka at the cost of Rs 22 crore, for which fund of Rs 11 crore has been sanctioned, he added.

Such international events play a pivotal role in enhancing the popularity of tourist places thereby attracts large number of visitors from abroad, he said.

However, the tourism sector witnessed hard time due to recession in previous years but now situation is quite good, he said, adding, even in United States of America, UK and Europe, the tourism market was not up-to the mark.

Bihar tourism minster Sunil Kumar ‘Pintu’ said Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will jointly develop Buddhist circuit to attract tourists from the country and abroad.

He said the Bihar Government has decided to give 50 per cent subsidy on construction of hotels, motels and restaurants on Buddhist circuit in Bodh Gaya.

The government’s plans for developing the Buddhist circuit include world class road networks, construction of modern budget and higher-end hotels and facilitating direct rail links and air services to Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Vaishali.